VFF Chairman assigns a special mission to the Vietnam National Team

VFF Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan meets with and encourages the Vietnam National Team, setting the goal of defending the ASEAN Cup 2026 title.

The Vietnam national team has officially begun its first working day during the training camp for the ASEAN Cup 2026. On the eve of the region's most important campaign, VFF Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan held a meeting to encourage the team's spirit, and also assigned the task of successfully defending the Southeast Asian championship to Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players.

Also attending the meeting were VFF General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu and Head of National Teams Department Doan Anh Tuan. Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan extended his welcome to the new recruits called up for the first time, including Patrik Le Giang, Nguyen Tai Loc, and Ngo Dang Khoa. VFF leaders expressed confidence that these new faces will quickly adapt to the team environment, showcase their professional skills, and bring added positive competition to the squad.

During the meeting, the central goal emphasized was the journey to defend the ASEAN Cup 2026 championship. Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan assessed that this would be a challenging task as football in the region is making strong progress. The aggressive investment from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore means the race for the Southeast Asian throne is expected to be far more intense than in previous tournaments.

In addition to short-term goals, VFF leaders also addressed the long-term plans for the national team. The 2027 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia and future World Cup qualifying campaigns are identified as important subsequent tasks. Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan highly valued the role of experienced core players such as Quang Hai, Hoang Duc, Dang Van Lam, Duy Manh, and Van Hau, while also expecting new talents to further deepen the squad's resources.

To accomplish the set objectives, the VFF Chairman demanded that the entire team uphold the highest standards of professionalism in their daily routines and training. The players were reminded to strictly adhere to the coaching staff's regulations, maintain their physical condition, and focus completely on their professional duties. On behalf of the team, captain Do Duy Manh expressed gratitude to the VFF leadership and affirmed that the players will give their utmost to live up to the fans' expectations.

According to the plan, the Vietnam team will train in Hanoi until July 1 before traveling to South Korea for a training camp from July 2 to 14. During this training camp, the team will have three friendly matches to assess the squad and perfect their tactics. After returning home, Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players will play a friendly against Myanmar on July 18 before entering the ASEAN Cup 2026 opener against Timor Leste on July 24 with the aim of successfully defending the Southeast Asian crown.